Abstract
This thesis examines how juveniles above the minimum age for criminal responsibility experience having a case processed in the Juvenile Delinquency Board established in Denmark in January 2019. The thesis is based on interviews with four juveniles who have had their case processed in court prior to the board meeting. To gain a more qualified knowledge in the area, interviews have also been held with two social workers and the chairman of the Danish Social Workers' Association.
The thesis shows that the juveniles have had a chaotic upbringing with complex challenges, which is why they and their families have been in contact with public authorities, including the family department, the police, and the court, prior to the board meeting. The prior contact with and perception of the public authorities has influenced the juveniles experience of the board meeting. They generally express that they have; not felt sufficiently prepared for the meeting, they have felt analyzed and assessed, they have felt labelled prior to the board meeting, they have felt alone and interrogated by the board members, and they have felt expected to be able to give a rational explanation for their impulse-driven actions. The juveniles see the Juvenile Delinquency Board as a double process and measure since they have already been sentenced in court prior to the board meeting. The juveniles have initially reacted with opposition to the penalty, which had little effect, so they chose to "give up" on their opposition and instead cooperated with the staff at the placement facilities. Retrospectively, the juveniles are able to see the penalty from a more supportive perspective. The penalty has resulted in placements, where the employees has managed to create the right social and educational facilities, which has been able to support the juveniles in a positive development. Ultimately, it is up to the street-level bureaucrats to assess whether the decision from the Juvenile Delinquency Board has had the desired effect or not, as they must carry out the board's decision.
The thesis also shows, based on statements from the social workers and the chairman of the Danish Social Workers' Association, that the establishment of the Juvenile Delinquency Board has had both a positive and negative effect on social work with socially disadvantaged children and juveniles in general. On the one hand, it has been positive for “the hard core” children and juveniles with a case processed at the board, because their cases have had to be prioritized and they have been able to get the right social pedagogical support through a penalty, without having to consider the financial means available under municipal auspices. On the other hand, the financial resources have not been accompanied by the establishment of the Juvenile Delinquency Board, which is why it has meant that other socially disadvantaged children and juveniles have become "second-priority cases" and thus have not been able to receive the necessary support in time.
Keywords: Alternative Justice, Crime Prevention, Deterrence, Experience, Juvenile Delinquency, Juvenile Delinquency Board, Labelling, Punishment, Risk Factors, Stigma, Youth Crime, Youth Crime Board.